Sunday, October 18, 2015

My Mini Me is Giving Me (More) Gray Hair.. Sunday Musings. October 18, 2015


First, let me say I love the above quote.  I am all about independence, and learning, and taking risks close to home when you have a safety net nearby.  After all, my daughter is now a Senior in High School, and soon she will be 'off' making decisions on her own. 

Holy Batman. 

Toss in the co-parenting arrangement and let me just say, sometimes we have our moments.  Like, last night for example.

Sami was out last night for Homecoming with a group of friends and they had a sleep over. Coed. Yes, I gave her permission.  'We are the good kids' was her reasoning.  So, like I shared before, I believe in my daughter and her decision making capacity - which is so much better than mine was at her age.

Anyway, I thought she would be home bright and early this morning, like most Sundays, to get ready to go to the ranch. Meaning, 6:30 am.  Keep in mind, I wake both kids on Sundays at 6 am so they can get out the door to go be ranch slaves.  If they are late, their father has a fit.  So, not an unreasonable expectation, right?

So, when she didn't show her smiling face before 6:30 am, I started getting worried.  I sent her multiple messages: text, voice and even via FB messaging. I even contacted her brother to see if she was at the ranch and I was not in the loop.  He said no.  I asked if his Dad had heard anything from her. He said he did not know.

Maybe I should have called Darth Vader (the ex).  But I didn't really want him to know I was out of the loop and exhibiting my Mother of the Year skills, once again.  Plus, I didn't want him to freak out, unless it was warranted.  One of those lose-lose scenarios. 

I finally heard from her close to 8:30 am.  Up until that point, I had visions of ax murderers, kidnappings, her vehicle in a ditch.  You know - the usual.

What is with the sloooooow response?

 Thank God I dye my hair - the gray is coming in faster and faster.

Here is a sampling of our texts:
Me:  Where you at?  6:59  am
Then me sending a voice message at 7:33 am
Me:  you need to come home now!  7:49 am
Sami:  Wait.  Why?  8:10 am (One hour and ten minutes later).
Sami:  Why are u freaking out?  8:11 am
Me:  Jesus Sam.  I need you to check in! Because I haven't heard from you and you usually go to the ranch at 6:30 am! You didn't say you would be out to till forever! What is your plan now that I know your are alive?
Sami:  ?Well I already told dad yesterday that I'd be home later this morning.
 (Hello, how about telling your mother? The one you made the plans with? The one responsible for your whereabouts until you get to the ranch?)
And out till forever?  Mom it's only 8:17, goodness. Everyone is waking up now, we will probably eat then head back.
Me:  Well no one told me!  I've been worried all morning. Sniff
Next time I want names and numbers.  I have no idea where you are.  Just Hunters house.

There were more texts.  Details about Hunter's family, meaning their last name (well known),  his big house, mom's great cooking, bla bla bla.  Hello!  I think this would have been useful information ahead of time, eh? 

Again.  Mother of the Year.

Lessons learned: 
Me?  Get more details on the plans.  Or, Do not let her ever ever do this again! ( Foot stomp)
Her?  Her mother is a psycho (I'm sure that is what she thinks!) Or, Communicate the plans better! Or, remember, your mother is a psycho and will start calling the National Guard if you don't show up!

In my defense, I did not call the National Guard.  But I do happen to know all the local cops, and now that I think of it, some National Guards men as well, and was very, very tempted. 

I can't wait until she has children of her own!  Wait.  Yes I can.  I can wait 10 more years.  Please Lord, let's wait 10 years for that experience, shall we?  No teen pregnancies, deal? 

Cheese wiz I sure worked myself up into a tizzy. 
Thanks for listening...


Sunday, September 13, 2015

Sunday Musings, September 12, 2015.

Monday's hike to the top of Coyote Peak

Eagle Caps Behind Me - Monday Hike

Waiting Room Find-  During Tuesday's Girly Doc Visit  (still recovering)

Rosie In the Window One Fine Evening

Now We Are Three People With  Three Gas Guzzling 4WD Rigs - Needed in this Country

Flowers From My Guy - With a great 45 Day Countdown love note

Fall Decor

More Fall Decor

And, Yes, More Fall Decor!

Loving This View - September 11th

Feeling Blessed to Have This View - September 11th

Attended A Wedding On Saturday - 9/12


Closer Look At My Flowers.  Love the Larkspur. Love the asters or mums.  Yes, Love it all.

Creepy Guy Hitting the Road. Yes, I feel like the crazy neighbor lady looking between the shades!

Part 1 of Thursday Night's Shenanigans
Thank God it's Sunday.
I am still in my jammies.  And it is close to 2pm.  It was a busy, action filled work week.  Lots of meetings and then two big events Thursday night. After logging an 11 hour work day, I rushed home to change and took off again to get to town to attend a fundraiser event. Oy.  I got home at 11:30 pm and was wired from the combo of iced tea slugged earlier in the evening (which spilled in my tote bag on the way home - don't ask.  I was packing up our booth and stashed it so I could have two hands to carry crap), along with 2 very tasty celebratory beers, and being wired from listening/dancing to great music.  Thank you Channel Cats and Addeson Collard.

Needless to say, I hit the wall Friday - plus I was hurting from a lunch hour PIYO class I took also on Thursday (it was a rough day!), and still hurting from Tuesday's doc visit.

This too shall pass. 

Saturday I took Sami to La Grande to shop for things her Dad just can't buy; like a trip to the beauty section of a store, skirt shopping for an upcoming FFA trip to Lousville, KY and Nashville, TN (yes, you heard that right) and then trips to the Farmers Market, and Starbucks (yes, more sugar). After returning home for a quick nap, I hit the road at 2pm for an outdoor wedding. Which did not start until close to 5pm.  We were sitting out in the 90 degree or more heat.  Alas. Sun went down, DJ fired up the tunes, and after celebrating until what felt like midnight, but was only 9:30 pm, I got home late, again. The wedding was an hour from my home. 

So here I am.  In my jammies.  Which really means I am too lazy to take a shower but still motivated enough to do chores and get things done. 

Here's the things done list:
  1. Vacuumed four years worth of dust bunnies from under and behind the refrigerator.  GROSS!
  2. Currently on my fourth load of laundry.  Had to run Sami's towel through a vinegar wash 2x.  Stanky.
  3. Fixed a wonky curtain rod - thank you youtube video for drywall anchor screw stuff! 
  4. Speaking of laundry, tried washing her soccer shoes 2x yesterday.  She left them in her gym bag after the rainy soccer game. the smell of her gym back - which also got washed, curled my nose hairs on Wednesday night.  Need to do the vinegar trick on her soccer shoes, too.
  5. Cleaned out the vacuum dirt chamber and filter.  Outside.
  6. Watering the lawn in various spots - when I noticed a creepy guy walking behind my house.
  7. Spot cleaned the kitchen floor
  8. Cleaned the dust and crevices off the bathroom cabinet doors
  9. Made a pot of chili - and ate chili for breakfast
  10. Found lots of fun 'salad in a mason jar' recipes to try this week
  11. Got lost in inspiration blog land - hence the mason jar recipes
  12. Stalked creepy guy for about an hour or so - also called the landlord and neighborhood watch lady to give them a recap of my surveillance heads up.  He walked across my 'lot' area to the neighbors (young couple who have been suspected of growing pot in their home and have all sorts of strange people hanging with them)  and sat on the bumper of their camper while he just hung out.  Neighbors never came out.  I suspect they aren't home.  Don't know if he knows the neighbors or what.  Obviously a transient.  Backpack and on foot.  But he left.  Hopefully for good.
So, rest of the day?  Hope to cram in some crafty time.  Along with a trip to Phil's to check on sassy cat, and maybe, a bike ride. 

But a nap really sounds good!

Happy Sunday to all of you.

Monday, September 7, 2015

Fall Photo Tray Project

Happy Fall - 7 Gypsies Photo Tray (click on photo to see detail)

View 2 - 7 Gypsies Photo Tray Fall Project

Yesterday was a picture perfect Fall day to get LOTS of indoor and outdoor projects done (details at the end of this post).

In addition to yard cleanup and preparing for Fall outside, I also played inside.  The project above started with a nice motivational push from Jen Gallacher.  She has always been one of my favorite scrapbookers back from our 2Peas days, and yesterday I just happened to see her blog pop up in my Bloglovin' reader.  Happy dance!  And, she is hosting a Week Long Fall Festival with daily projects. 

Supplies:
7 Gypsies Photo Tray
Carta Bella Fall Blessings Collection (patterned papers, cut up cards & stickers)
Pebbles Harvest 'Curl Up' card cut from 'Let's Eat' 12x12 sheet
An acorn collected from my 2014 trip to CA
Photos from last September - right in my yard.

Thanks for the motivation, Jen!

*********************
 So, what did I get done yesterday?  

It was a lovely fall day.  Chilly in the morning, and it warmed up to the high 60's - for about an hour.   
Outside: My outdoor summer decor (American Flags, wreath, garden flags, door decor, etc.) is all packed away.  I cleaned out the annual flower pots and put them away, swept the doorways, wiped down the doors, and climbed a ladder and  cleaned up the swallow nests from the eaves (nasty business). Then, washed the bird mess off the walls  (double nasty business).  My neck and left shoulder are stiff!  Note:  I let the barn swallows nest during the summer. They eat the mosquitoes which are bad in this area.  Plus, I think they are cute little things darting around in the sky and yard. so, the mess is just part of the package.  AND, I started putting out some of my fall decor.  
Inside: I was really motivated! In addition to deep cleaning the bathroom, changing sheets and doing about 5 loads of laundry, I played in the kitchen (made guacamole, and a skillet red potato dish for later), changed out the summer placemats for fall colors, organized the boxes under my bed (aka looking for Sami's missing awards - which were not found), and changed the scentsi containers from summer to fall scents (which are heavenly!).  THEN I let myself play in my crafty room.  It's a curse.
Today? 
Today is Labor Day and since I am lucky enough to have the day off, I am going to use it to the fullest.  Right now it is 33 degrees, sunny and bright.  I need to visit my storage unit and search for Sami's missing awards.  I think I know where they are!  And, while I am there I am going to grab my boxes of Fall and Halloween decor - an extra bonus. 

Have a great day!

Sunday, September 6, 2015

There's a Chill in the Air! Sunday Musings. September 6, 2015

Soon this will happen (photo from last September 16)

A card I made two weeks ago for Miss E - BFF of 30 plus years

 
First Day of School Cookies - Delivered to School on Monday

Elk.  Yes, out there in that field.  This is on my commute home from work.

Jake taking his driver's test on Thursday.  He passed!

Soccer game in the rain. Yesterday. 

 Happy Sunday!   

Once again Rosie is sitting in my lap as I type.  French pressed coffee (Sunday treat) is left of the keyboard, and the clothes washer is stuck on the 'suds' mode.  It happens when I only wash one item and get carried away with the liquid detergent.  And, the yard is littered with the first fall leaves. 


It's cold here in Haines, Oregon.  We woke to 30 degrees.  It's 65 in the house and I refuse to turn the heat on - although I did turn on my electric blanket yesterday when I got home from Sami's soccer game after sitting in the rain -  I crawled into my bed to get warm - and for a nice long nap.  My toes were cold.  I left the house at 7:30 am to drive to her game in Idaho, for an 11 am game.  Idaho is an hour ahead of us so there's that extra hour to factor in.  Oh.  And no one was at the field that the coach sent out directions to.  Slight panic attack.  Thank goodness for cell phones and tracking down other people.  My contact was in Oregon and was not coming to the game - but at least she got the 'secret' text with the correct location. 

Vent: Even though I signed up on the 'here's my cell phone, email, bla bla bla' list. I am still left out of the loop.  I blame it on the fact that my 'kid' doesn't go to the same school she plays soccer for - so we always fall through the cracks when it comes to communication, award ceremonies, when things are changed at the last minute.  Crap like that.

Sami told me she wanted to stay the entire time (meaning watching the boys play after the girls) which meant I would be driving home alone if I went.  I told her that was fine - I did not want to stay, I just wanted to see her play.  She ended up coming home with me.  She was upset with the coach - Sami wanted more play time.  She forgets that she played the entire game last weekend and someone else didn't.  These things happen.

Let's talk about that game.  Another cruze to Idaho.  This time Payette.  Farm country.  We came home the back way (courtesy of google maps talking to me on my smarty pants phone and giving me the creepy feeling that we were headed nowhere fast) and drove along a river.  Oh it was lovely.  I LOVE rivers - it reminded me of the Sacramento River near Chico, CA.  Heck,  I miss Chico.  All things Chico.  Bidwell Park, coffee shops, almond orchards, back country drives (but knowing where the heck you are), riding my town cruiser.  Bucket list.

Highlights from this past week
  1. Back to School!  Monday.  One Senior.  One Junior.  Cookies made and delivered bright and early Monday morning to school. Sami loved them.  Jake?  Mr. mellow doesn't say much.
  2. Jake got his driver's license. Yahoo!  He almost puked, I am sure of it.  He could not eat he was so nervous.  But when he found out he passed - he was a new man. I don't think I have really seen him that excited and vocal! Boasting was more like it. And ready to taunt his sister who failed her first time. Yes, sibling rivalry - a healthy dose.
  3. Searching my craft room/bedroom/junk stash under the bed and in my closet for Sami's past awards.  For her 'college prep' work.  A class requires her to get ready - including a resume, applying to two universities, job shadowing for 15 hours and a mentor.  Trying to find a Marine Biologist in Eastern Oregon is going to be a challenge. I tried. Most likely we will be taking a trip west - to OSU and the coast.  I have a few work friends who are helping with ideas:  Drop the kid off at the Hatfield Marine Center and we go to Rogue Brewery. Or, go to Friday Harbor in Washington.  I see a road trip and adventure in our future.  Oh.. some awards were found in her bedroom.  By me. And yes, I told her so. Teens.  And all of the grade school awards were in my possession.  We are missing a few years.  Project for later today.
  4. Registering for the SATs.  Fifty four bucks.
  5. Soccer Fees:  One hundred three bucks. 
  6. Homework:  Jake doing pre-calculus and Sami teasing him that she finished hers in class.  Yes, they are in the same class.  Happens quite often.  This semester they have 2 classes together- three if you count the class Sami is TA'ing. 
  7. Worked a school fundraiser - Thursday night.  Concert in Baker at the High School Football field.  Soccer girls and parents. Food concessions.  Hot chocolate was a hit.  Cold drinks were not.  First night of getting colder around here.
  8. Snow.  Yes, snow.  In the mountains Friday night.  Friday morning my morning walk was in 29 degrees.  Rained that evening, which is snow at higher elevations.  Good thing I didn't have to work!  
Well, coffee cup is empty and washing machine corrected itself.  Time for me to get moving.  I am hoping to 'hike a mountain' today.  Now that the air is clear and crisp I am craving a 'the hills are alive' shout, spin and top of the mountain view.  Yes. I do this every now and then. Mostly at lower elevations and  in my yard.  Embarrasses the heck out of my kids.

Have a great day friends and family. 
xo.


Sunday, August 30, 2015

So Long, Summer. Sunday Thoughts. August 30, 2015.

First Game of the Season - Sami, #14 Rocked it! She is a Defender. She got the ball back for her team several times!

I missed this view.  So lucky, when it's not smokey

She is officially a Senior, tomorrow.

Sami and her Jeep.  I love this photo of my daughter.

Sami and the rest of the FFA Officers at a retreat two weekends ago. Wait, it was last weekend.

This morning. Packed up and heading to the ranch.

Jake and his new backpack - well, gym bag that he is using as a backpack.  Bets on when the straps break?

Like a boss.  First Game. She is playing Varsity. 

Jake Drove yesterday -I got to shoot photos. Can see one of the fires way across the Valley in the Eagle Caps.

 Summer is over.  I am sitting here with a sweatshirt on and a kitty warming my lap.
Brrrrrrr.  It was 40 degrees when I got up at the crack of' before daylight'. The moon was out and I was loving the chance to see it.  Our first frost is typically September 1st.  The weather channel is showing a low of 33 on Thursday.  I am going to bet we get a frost that day.  So long favorite season...

Tomorrow is the first day of school. It's a bummer the kids go back before Labor Day.  I feel shorted.  To add salt to our wounds Sami had a soccer game yesterday (Which she rocked!!! I embarrassed her - the game was right in front of where I was sitting, and Sami was in the thick of it, and after she took the ball back for her team I yelled out 'Great job Sami!  And a whole bunch of other parents that have known her since she was 5 started cheering for her as well -and calling out her name. She really was kicking ass - it was fun) and she has another game next Saturday.  It makes 'getting one last summer trip in' very limited.

So,since the kids will be starting their first day of school from the ranch  I took some 6:30 am morning shots of them this fine Sunday as they were heading out the door.

Sniff.
My plan for today? Along with mowing the yard, and picking up all the branches from another wind storm,  I am going to make a big batch of my 'first day of school cookies'.  Oatmeal, raisin, chocolate chip.  This has been my tradition for every first day of school. When they were little I was lucky to be a 'stay on the ranch slave mom' and the cookies were waiting when they got home.  Warm.

Life evolves, eh?
So, tomorrow, since it is her Senior year, Sami will get her own little batch, tied up, and with a note.  I am going to deliver them to the school tomorrow. And yes, Jake will get a batch as well.  Don't worry aunties, he is not forgotten.

Speaking of Jake: When I got back from my 4 hour round trip drive to Emmett Idaho, Jake and I took off to Baker so he could practice his city driving. 

He is taking his driver's test this coming Thursday.

Happy Sunday my friends and family. 

Monday, August 24, 2015

Andi's WITL - Wednesday, August 19

My Door and My Motto - About 5:45 am before my walk.

Morning Walk

Morning Walk - Side of the Haines Store

Taking Jake to the Ranch - Smoky. Well, he drove. So he was taking me to the ranch.

Dropping into the Grande Ronde Valley - My Commute

Rosie - One of her favorite spots

Evening Time - My bedside Retreat into Books  & My OTW Collage

Rosie at the foot of my bed, plotting something
Wednesday.
Same ol' Same ol'.  Just cruzin' through the week. 

Sami has daily doubles (Soccer practice for the Baker HS).  Pisses me off that they are practicing in the smoke.  Clueless coaches.  She had to be in Baker for 7am practice so I took Jake to the ranch, well he drove. So I took photos.  And she is back to Baker at 5pm for another practice/scrimage.

 Work. I don't recall anything exciting.  Preparing for our big Strategic Planning session in October.  Herding cats once again. With 100 employees it will be interesting.  We are encouraging all employees to attend - full day Friday.  A lot of employees don't work on Friday.  And a few of us return on Saturday for 1/2 day. 
Now that I think about it, I have lots going on in October:
  • Drive Thru Flu Event
  • Trip to Bend - For Statewide Emergency Preparedness Conference - and my BFF is going to come hang with me (yippee!)
  • Scrappy Retreat - at end of Bend trip. So I will be gone Tuesday - Sunday with both trips combined.
  • Strategic Planning Session - 1.5 days.
  • Phil's big move from Wyoming to Oregon (2 miles down the road) on October 24th  (my man). Two of his girls are helping and hopefully they will stay for a week.  I would love for them to see our area, and meet my kids - of course, if my kids are up to it (all on their terms and their comfort zone).
Kids back in the evening.  Yes, I picked Jake up from the Ranch. Sami was only here for a short while after soccer practice and dinner. After dinner she went to visit her BFF who is leaving for Boise State, and then she had an FFA meeting at school.  She was back around 9ish. Maybe later. I was in bed.  Her commute is 10 miles from my house to Baker for the soccer stuff; girlfriend is 1 mile down the road, school is 8 miles from my house. Her cute little jeep is getting a workout.
.
Dinner was a stir-fry with the left over chicken, market zucchini, and wild rice. And our tomatoes/balsamic vinegar snack. Corn on the cob from the market as well.
Slumber:  As pictured above, I fall into slumber with a book.  It's my private retreat. 

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Tuesday Week in the Life, August 18, 2015

Flowers on my office desk. Black Dahlias.

Bigger view of my office.  A whole lotta balls in the air right now.

Another new dress (pattern at top of photo) meets my Apron in the evening (pattern below)

Loving my yard.  My potted summer flowers are toast.  Ready for Fall Mums.

Yes!  A reprieve from the smoke!  View West the front of the house.

Turn around from the mountain view and shot a photo of my casa

Rosie.  My kittie.  She walks out to the edge of the walk,  sits and looks around.  Kitty Zen time.

I saved this on August 18th in my Facebook Reader

Tuesday.
No need to delve into the routine.  The photos capture the day.
The only additions are:

Work Day:
Meetings:
Daily Smoke Call:  State is on fire, new fires keep surfacing.  
Public Health Team. Frustration.  I reminded them we have a drive thru flu clinic on October 3rd and we are needing people to actually staff it. Nurses, lane organizers, greeters. Anyone.  It will be on a Saturday.  This is what 'we are all about' but getting people to actually step up and help outside their 'normal' hours is like pulling teeth.  It frustrates me.  Only one nurse is committing.  I need three.  And yes, people actually drive their cars through and get their vaccine while they stay in their cars.  My big idea is to have the radio station on site, broadcasting it, and make this a community event with giveaways, etc.  Sometimes, I am alone in these grand thoughts.  Folks complain our vaccine rates are lower than what they predict and thus their budgets are suffering.  Offer them a solution and no one wants to put in the effort.   Ask me what I would rather be doing on a Saturday.  I live away, have to drive over, give up time with my kids. My daughter will be a senior and most likely I will be missing one of her soccer games. Go figure.  Yes.  This was a rant.  Not sure I will actually publish it. But there you are. This is 'week in the life' after all.  I will publish it.
Lunch:  Tuesdays are Rotary Days.  Stay longer for a board meeting with the District Governor. I enjoy Rotary.  Like minded people who are all about service to their community.  Great hearts and souls.  Salt of the earth.  They lift my spirits.
End of Day:  Stop at the Farmers Market and the grocery store.  Go home and start dinner.  A nice dinner for the kids.  This is when I actually put effort into cooking.  When they are here. Organic chicken thighs, wild rice, and our nightly routine of fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, balsamic vinegar, and a baquet with dipping ramekins of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. 

OH!  But while I was cooking, Sami texts me to say she is in Baker and I need to go get Jake from the ranch.  Ha. there I was all Betty Crocker and all.  Happy in my little world.  She drives and usually brings her brother with her.  She now has 'daily doubles' of soccer practice, and did not have her brother with her.  It's about 6:30 pm when I send him a message seeing if he wants a ride. Poor kid.  So, I drive another 14 miles to go get him and bring him back.

Sami was here when we arrived.  Should have made her go and get him.

And that wraps up Tuesday.

Week in the Life - Monday August 17th, 2015

New Dress
My yard, after I mowed it and cleaned up the mess from Friday's Windstorm

And the smoke in the background

Smoke is interfering with my view



(This will be the most detailed post because it explains the daily stuff)

Explanation:  Ali Edwards, the same gal who sponsors 'One Little Word' is doing  'Week in the Life' event this week. I am playing along. I captured photos and am posting everything after the fact.
The idea is to capture your own life, for one week, and create an album.
And, share your story.  Your own story.

Monday..
The Daily Routine
Up at 4 or 5. Typical for me.  I am wired for mornings. Everyone knows it.  Kids. Coworkers. Friends.  I am the one who irritates everyone with my morning sunshine.  I love mornings.  Nights?  Bed for me.  9pm. Otherwise I am mean, irritable and cranky.  Like most people are in the mornings.

Coffee. With cream. Real cream as in 1/2 and 1/2.  I have a Kureg.  A Valentine's Gift.  I miss my old French Press routine. I dig it out every now and then.  Sometimes I do laundry, dishes, stretches.  Make my breakfast/lunch bag to go. Kids are usually at their dad's Monday mornings, but they were with me from our weekend back to school shopping/'nails on chalkboard because I hate shopping' trip to Boise.  So, I made them their breakfast (fruit/yogurt, eggs/bacon), woke them and told them I was leaving for my walk.  They have to leave at 6:15 to get to the ranch.  Sami drives. 

Walk. Leave at 6:00 am for 30 minutes in the hood.  A new neighbor phoned me last week - her husband told her he sees me walking in the mornings - she asked if she could join me.  Not sure if I am digging having her invade my space.  I work with people all day long - sometimes people that are mean and nasty and high maintenance.  I find myself just wanting peace and quiet.  No conversation or problem solving life issues.  I just want to fall into the landscape, talk to God. We will see how long this lasts.

Leave at 7 am - Did you do the math?  I get ready in 30 minutes.  Shower, dress, and any primping. Commute from Haines, Oregon to La Grande, Oregon.  Thirty three miles over a mountain pass - in the summer.  Good this time of year, not good during the winter, takes an hour or longer. 

Wearing?  One of my new dresses. I shopped for myself as well.  Jake did not like the dress - he called it my old lady dress.  I got lots of compliments.  So there. Humph. 

Workday:
Smoke Call:  8:30 am - 9:30 am.   Oregon is on fire.  One of my job duties is Emergency Preparedness for the Public Health Department.  I 'got' the smoke duties dumped on me last week.     Keep in mind I am not a nurse, or anything of that sort.  But I am taking this new duty seriously.  Every day.  Including weekends. I am on the call. Then make press releases, radio ads, etc.  It is consuming.  Oh.  And our air sucks right now.  The photos above are from one of our better days (it got a whole lot worse over the upcoming weekend).

Facilitate a Meeting: 10:30 am - 1:00 pm. Including setup time. A preconception health grant project. I coordinate the meetings, communicate with the work-group, actually facilitate the meeting, take notes, etc.  Create outreach materials, collect and disseminate the project data. Bla bla bla.  It's exhausting.

LUNCH!  Best part of the day.   1:00 - 2:00 pm. Met two friends from Boise down at Mamacita's for lunch.  Outdoors in the smoke.  They were on their way back from a trip in Washington.  Great people. 

Team Meeting:  2-4.  Work stuff.

4-5:  Get stuff done!  Seriously.  After a day of meetings I find myself wondering what I have to show for it.

Fiveish: Hit the road back home.  6pm Mow the lawn. Takes an hour.  Admire my work.

7:30ish. Eat something I find in the refrigerator.  Monday nights are usually my TV nights.  I don't even remember what I ate.  Left over spaghetti?  Chips and salsa? When I am alone I tend to graze on anything.

In bed no doubt around 8:30 or 9:00.  Read and call it a night.
Tired.  It was a long day.  Lots of adrenaline tied to the facilitation and I hit the wall later in the day.

2023 December Daily : Monday December 5th

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